Many of us remember Mrs.Ingeborg Lorensen, who was the German teacher at PHS when
we were there. She had contacted Neil Bonke a few years back, and recently Neil found this
interesting article about her.

This is reprint from “The Friends of The Alaska State Museum Newsletter” Fall 2003

Ingie Lorensen Turns 90: A Women of Living History

By: Marjorie W. Schmiege

On September 21, 2003, Ingie Lorensen celebrated her 90th birthday at the Baranof
Hotel in Juneau. She has been a member of our community since 1981. She became
a volunteer for the Garden Club, Friends of the Library, and Friends of the Alaska State
Museum, where she served as President for four years. Ingie worked daily in the
museum as President, along with Pam Knapp, former store manager.

During World War II she taught English, both at the Hamburg School of Foreign
Languages and at Hamburg University. Living in Germany during those troubled times,
she witnessed the Allied bombings of Hamburg, Gestapo interrogations, and the
destruction of their home and belongings.

At the end of the war she served under U.S. Command as an interpreter at the
Nuremburg trials in 1946. Returning after the war she taught German in New York
State public schools for 25 years. When her husband died she moved to Juneau to be
near her son and his family. She was honored for her volunteer work by the state with
an “Ingeborg Lorensen” day in the late 1980s. She was interviewed through the
Steven Spielberg Recorded History Program about her memories of Germany during
World War II.

She continues to serve us as appointed historian of the Friends. Her high-spirited
personality and cheerful demeanor have been an inspiration to me and un-numbered
other volunteers.

Update: The above was put on the webstie a few years back. Since then, Mrs. Lorensen

passed away on July 16, 2013 at 100 years old. Her obituary is below.